The role of simulation as an educational strategy in the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Simulation-based learning has been widely used to improve response to crisis situations. It has played an important role in preparing care teams for patients with infections such as Ebola, influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and middle east respiratory syndrome (MERS). The recent pandemic caused by the coronavirus (SARS CoV-2) declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March of this year 2020, requires special attention in these moments, where the disease has exceeded the response of the health systems in several countries, so it is necessary training of response teams to reduce risks. The objectives proposed in this review through deliberate practice, the clinical scenario and simulation in situ, in the patient with suspected or infected by COVID-19, try to systematize the placement and removal of personal protective equipment (PPE), the management of the airway and the approach of the patient in cardiac arrest, in order to improve technical skills and strengthen non-technical skills. Furthermore, during the development of these strategies, unexpected situations can be identified and addressed, some compromise in patient and/or staff safety can be detected, which allows these deficiencies to be rectified and response capacity to be optimized. Likewise, it allows to reflect and analyze the emotions of the staff to prevent adverse situations regarding the performance of health workers. With this, it seeks to strengthen the safety and quality of patient care during the course of this pandemic.